2008 White River 50 Mile Race Report

9:38:39, 11:34/mile.
68th overall out of 238 starters, 202 finishers.
54th M.
13th in M 40-49.

40:12 improvement over last year.



I didn't have a game plan going into the race. This is very unusual for me but I've been preoccupied with other more important issues in my life. I expected to do a lot better than last year because my weekly mileage since April is about 25 miles per week more than last year. I did scratch down some splits so I could hold myself back in the beginning and keep on track at the end.



I figured if I got to Corral Pass a few minutes ahead of last year I'd be in good shape for the rest of the race. I was right, I got there 10 minutes ahead of last year. But I had already made 2 mistakes. The weather was warmer than I had planned. I made the mistake of wearing too much and I was sweating heavily all the way up to the A/S even though I wasn't working hard.



I quickly shed my extra clothing and chugged my trusty mocha and I was gone. I felt good and moved fast on the few climbs to the next A/S. I got there after passing 3-4 runners and filled 1/2 my bottle (they said they were low on water and that's all I needed) 15 minutes ahead of last year.

I cruised down to Buck Creek passing 4-5 runners. This section felt better than the two times I ran it a couple weekends ago. I didn't push too hard because that usually makes my bonk at the Airstrip. I didn't have a drop bag here so I was in and out fast 21 minutes ahead of last year.



Taking it easy down to buck creek seemed to payoff because I felt good on the flat section after the A/S catching 3 runners that had left the A/S before I even got there. I climbed strong up to Fawn Ridge running most of it. When I got there I asked for iced GU2O but didn't get any ice. He probably didn't here me and I didn't check until I was leaving and figured it wouldn't matter. I down my "trusty" mocha (mistake) and was outta there 29 minutes ahead of last year.



About 1/2 mile out of the A/S I started to feel slightly nauseous so I slowed way down (mistake) in an attempt to calm my stomach. It worked for a few minutes but then I rapidly got worse. Up came all the contents of my stomach. From the sheer volume I'd say it must have stopped working 1/2 way to Fawn Ridge. I've puked before and normally I bounce right back but I didn't this time. I started to sip on my water knowing I was now way behind on fuel and fluids. I just couldn't stomach that much at one time. I soon fell into a huge bonk. I shuffled along best I could trying to nurse myself back to life while being passed by a dozen or so runners. The cool wind at the false summit helped a little as did the downhill to the Sun Top road crossing but as soon as I started going uphill again I still had no strength in my legs. I staggered past Glenn and into the A/S. It took me a long time to get there but I made it and still 20 minutes ahead of last year.
I was quickly revived at the A/S. I had some cold water and coke and a cold sponge bath. I started down the road at a slow pace but quickly got into a grove, I even passed 4 runners. Even after the road flatten out I was able to hold a good pace. I was in and out of the last A/S quickly but not before a volunteer told me that Tony and Heather came through 1/2 hour earlier looking strong. With just one section left I was 30 minutes ahead of last year and was sure to be under 10 hours which was my "I should quit running ultras if I can't make this time" goal.
I moved quickly through the "Flats" and passed 4 more runners but I got passed by two girl that made me look like I was going backwards.

I finally made it to the finish with a 40 minute PR but not before getting in my one fall of the day. Luckily I have some time to figure out how to fix things before CCC.

Training and White River Pictures

Here are some pictures from last weekend and White River.

The view from Goat Peak.

Fire damage near Cole Butte

I saw this guy having a snack on some grass and I was glad it wasn't me he was craving!

Rainier from near Cole Butte.

Shela listening for a snack at Tim's A/S.

Glenn's picture from Corral Pass.


And this is after I was feeling good again. I must have looked like death 30 minutes earlier!

Just pour that bucket of ice water right on my head.

I survived!

Showing the kids how to do hill repeats across the river.

I think we were looking like easy prey to this guy and his friend(s)!

White River Training Version 1.5

This past weekend instead of serving ourselves up as Cougar or Bear bait on the snowed in Plain course, we went down to Greenwater and ran the white river course 1.5 times.

I started out with dead legs Saturday morning and got slower from there. We took a wrong turn and started heading up "toward" ranger creek one trail too early. After 1 1/2 miles and about 550 feet of climbing the trail ended and we turned around and headed for the right trail. I guess we should have brought that map.

We ran into some snow and Shawn and I practiced our hockey moves on each other.


It was such a beautiful day I had to stop and snap off a few pictures.

After a big lunch we saw a plane landing. I was too slow to get the shot before the wheels touched down so it looks like the plain is just sitting there.


This stream really came at a good time. I was so over heated I thought I was going to loose my lunch!

About a mile maybe a little more before the top, I finally started to feel better. The view was worth the hike.

After 12 hours of good on my feet time and a 20 minute soak I was ready for bed. Opps better eat something first. I could barely keep my eyes open long enough to eat.

Day 2
I felt much better on the second day. I finished the first half of the course over an hour faster. Actually 30 minutes of that was the detour we took.



It was nice to see all the familar friendly faces on Sunday. I think there were about 35 runners out on the trail. And those Bean and Rice Wraps were mighty tasty.

CCC Training Run Attempt #2 (Tony's Log)

We tried again, in vain, to run the last 1/3 of the CCC course. The final straw, just too much snow to follow the trail.
Here are the highlights:
We started off before dawn and made it to Mineral creek in 2:01. That includes a 7 minute "Tc pit stop" (see video below) and the 10 minutes it took to cross Mineral Creek.
We took it easy to No Name Ridge with only 4-5 snow fields to cross we made it there in 2:01.
3 hours and 5.5 miles of running and trail searching later, we're back at the No Name A/S location on the way back to the car.
Down to Mineral Creek in 1:23 and back through the TFH in 1:51. That's 10:24 at a smoking fast average pace of 2.7 MPH! Sure, we didn't get to see the whole section but it was a good time on our feet run.
As you may or may not have already heard one of us took a tumble off this log. Now and forever called Tony's Log.

And I happen to get it on video.

Watch This!


Monica on Glenn's Rock.

Shela & I.

Shawn cooling off going up No Name.

The View! It doesn't look like there's that much snow to me.

You can't see it in this photo but both Shela and I have red lights on the back of our head... Just in case a Bear was to drag either one of us off into the woods.

Here's Tony running like nothing ever happened. He must have landed on his ponytail.